Researchers

Helena Siipi // University Lecturer, TEERC Director
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/helena-siipi
Area of expertise: Ethics of climate nudges; Food ethics; New methods of environmental protection; Arguments from naturalness
Current research: I am working at the Climate Nudge project as a work package leader and as a researcher. I am studying ethical issues related to climate nudges including research ethics for nudge research.

Mikko Puumala // Postdoc Researcher, TEERC Coordinator
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/mikko-puumala
Area of expertise: Climate ethics; space ethics; philosophy of sustainability; animal ethics
Current research: I am currently a postdoc researcher in a project on language and attitudes concerning non-human animals, focusing on moral demandingness and extensionism. I’m also co-editing a volume on geoethics and environmental protection in space and co-writing a book on philosophy of sustainability (in Finnish).

Jenna Aarnio // Doctoral Researcher
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/jenna-aarnio
Area of expertise: Ethical issues concerning wild animals (wild animal suffering and assistance, emotions towards wild animals and their suffering)
Current research: My doctoral dissertation focuses on ethical issues related to wild animals.

Olivia Mörck // Doctoral Reseacher
Area of expertise: Textile Ethics
Current research: Writing my dissertation, currently named as “Textile Ethics in the Context of Fast Fashion Consumption and Nudging”.

Markku Oksanen // Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland
https://uefconnect.uef.fi/en/person/markku.oksanen/
Area of expertise: Biodiversity; climate change; ownership and property rights; food; animal ethics; sustainability; rights of nature; environmental human rights
Current research: philosophy of sustainability, ethics of extinction

Laura Puumala // Doctoral Reseacher
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/laura-puumala
Area of expertise: Applied ethics; military ethics; environmental wars; moral tragedies; peace and conflict studies
Current research: I’m finalising my doctoral dissertation on the moral demands of moral tragedies, the justification of the least evil actions, and the possibility of heroic evil actions in the context of war. I’m also part of the Just and Unjust Environmental Wars project (funded by Kone Foundation).

Irina Salmi // Doctoral Researcher, psychology
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/irina-salmi
Area of expertise: Human-nature connection; enhancing nature connectedness in education; Rousseau’s understanding of nature connectedness; psychological theories on nature connectedness and their critique
Current research: In my dissertation, I study how early childhood educational environments and practices influence children’s experience of nature connectedness.  I work in collaboration with the Climate Nudge project.

Jani Sinokki // Postdoc Researcher
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/jani-sinokki
Area of expertise: Philosophy of mind; individual identity; self-image; ideologies and hostility; philosophy of hatred and racism (including wolf hatred and vegan rage).
Current research: I am studying the nature and function of hatred in a personal research project titled Apes of Wrath? I am also employed by the Climate Nudge project, where I investigate methods of influence related to social identity and issues concerning manipulation.

Oskari Sivula // Doctoral Researcher
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/oskari-sivula
Area of expertise: Environmental ethics; space ethics; intergenerational ethics
Current research: In my doctoral dissertation, I study environmental ethical questions related to outer space, with a particular focus on the ethics of disseminating life beyond Earth.

Susanne Uusitalo // University Teacher, Docent
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/susanne-uusitalo
Area of expertise: addiction; autonomy; bioethics; applied philosophy; agency; research ethics
Current research: I’m working on agency and health, in different contexts. This concerns issues such as planetary health and the environmental ethical aspects of drug and food development.

Piia Vinnari // Doctoral Researcher
https://www.utu.fi/en/people/piia-vinnari
Area of expertise: History of philosophy; Kantian philosophy; epistemology; speciesism; anthropocentrism; mind and mentality of non-human animals
Current research: In my dissertation, It’s Just an Animal? On Speciesism, Anthropocentrism, and Recognizing the Minds and Intrinsic Value of Non-human Animals, I study the relationship between humans and non-human animals and the related ethical issues by uncovering the underlying factors influencing our thinking.